these I have placed my additions:-the falles of such princes as were before omitted, and my poem or hymne of the late dead Queene, of famous memorie. In all which I require no other gratification for my paines, but a gentle censure of my imperfections."

Niccols omitted the metrical histories of James the First of Scotland, by Baldwin; Richard, Duke of Gloucester, by Segar; with James the Fourth; and the Battle of Brampton, by Dingley: and he added of his own composition a poetical induction; with ten new histories of King Arthur, Edmund Ironside, Prince Alfred, Godwin Earl of Kent, Robert Curthoise, Duke of Normandy, King Richard the First, King John, King Edward the Second, the two young Princes, (Edward the Fifth, and Richard Duke of York) King Richard the Third. To these he prefixed the

title of

*

A Winter Night's Vision. Being an addition of such Princes especially famous, who were exempted in the former Historie. By Richard Niccols, Oxon. Mag. Hall. At London, Imprinted by Felix Kyngs

ton. 1610.

From the following elegant sonnet-dedication to this. part of his book, Mr. Warton + inferred that the author, was on board the Lord Admiral's ship (the Ark) when Cadiz was taken in 1596.

"To the Right Hon. the Lord Charles Howard, Earle of Nottingham, Baron of Effingham, Knight of

This seems to have been substituted by Niccols in lieu of Segar's legend on the same subject, to which it is greatly superior.

Hist. of E. P. iii. 271.

the

the most noble Order of the Garter, Lord High Ádmirall of England, Ireland, and Wales, &c. one of his Majestic's most Honourable Privie Counsell."

As once that dove (true honor's aged lord!)

Hovering with wearied wings about your Arke,
When Cadiz' towers did fall beneath your sword,
To rest her selfe did single out that barke: *
So my meeke Muse, from all that conquering rout
Conducted through the sea's wild wilderness
By your great selfe, to grave their names about
Th' Iberian pillars of Jove's Hercules;
Most humbly craves your lordly lion's aid

'Gainst monster Envie, while she tells her storie
Of Britaine princes and that royall maid

In whose chaste hymne her Clio sings your glorie: Which if (great lord) you grant, my Muse shall frame Mirrours more worthie your renowned name.

Your Honor's ever most humblie devoted

RICHARD NICCOLS."

An Address to the Reader on two pages, and a metrical induction extending to three leaves, follow: theten histories, before enumerated, occupy from p. 561 to 769 of the volume. Then succeeds a new title page, with a wood-cut of Q. Elizabeth, inscribed

England's Eliza: or the victorious and triumphant reigne of that Virgin Empresse of sacred memorie, Elizabeth, Queene of England, France and Ireland, &c. At London, Imprinted by Felix Kings

This circumstance is also recorded by Niccols in his poem of England's Eliza, p. 861, where a marginal note affirms that the author was then present,

Another

Another sonnet-dedication follows this title, which (as well as the above) having been displaced from many of the copies, is here supplied.

"To the vertuous Ladie, the Ladie Elizabeth Clere, wife to the Right Worshipfull Sir Francis Clere, Knt."

My Muse, that whilome wail'd those Briton kings
Who unto her in vision did appeare,

Craves leave to strengthen her night-weather'd wings
In the warme sunshine of your golden Clere;
Where she (faire Ladie) tuning her chast layes
Of England's Empresse to her hymnicke string
For your affect, to heare that Virgin's praise,

Makes choice of your chast selfe to heare her sing:
Whose royall worth (true virtues paragon)

Heere made me dare t' ingrave your worthie name;
In hope that unto you the same alone

Will so excuse me of presumptuous blame, That gracefull entertaine my Muse may find, And ever beare such grace in thankfull mind.

Your Ladiships ever humblie at command,

RICHARD NICCOLS."

A prose address on one page, and a poetical induction on 8, precede the historical narrative, which occupies more than 90 pages. His induction exhibits the following honourable tribute to the memory of Spenser:

"O did that Fairie Queene's sweet singer live,
That to the dead eternitie could give!
Or, if that Heaven by influence would infuse
Mis heavenlie spirit on mine earth-born Muse:
Her name ere this a mirror should have been,
Lim'd out in golden verse to th' eyes of men.
But my sad Muse, though willing, yet too weak
In her rude rymes Elizaes worth to speak;

Must

Must yeeld to those, whose Muse can mount on high,
And with brave plumes can climb the loftie skie."

Niccols will be found a melodious versifier, if not a first-rate poet; and was the author of many other productions, which remain to be mentioned. T. P.

ART. IV. A very godly Letter made by the right honourable Sir Henry Sidney, Knight of the most noble order of the Garter, Lord Deputie of Ireland, and Lord President of Wales; now xxv yeeres past; vnto Phillip Sidney his sonne, then of tender yeeres, at schoole in the towne of Shrowesbury, with one M. Astone. Most necessarie for all yoong gentlemen, to be carried in memorie: with an excellent Epitaph of the life and death of the said Lord President: both which being put in print, at the humble request of one William Gruffith of Coredaney, in the countie of Angles, sometime Clarke of his Kitchen. Printed at London by T. Dawson, 1591. small 8vo, one sheet.

This very pious, sensible, and affectionate letter from Sir Henry Sidney to his celebrated son Philip, when a boy, will be found with some slight variations in Vol. I. of the Sidney papers published by Collins: but the present tract contains "a postscript by my lady Sidney, written in the skirts of my Lord President's letter, to her sayd sonne Philip," not reprinted in that collection. The Epitaph, which extends to nine pages, I have not seen elsewhere; nor does the name of Griffith occur as a verse-maker of the sixteenth

In 1793, died at Lench, co. Worc. æt. 101, Wm. Niccols, a labouring man, said to be the poet's descendant. Gent. Mag. LXIII. p. 282. Editor. century

century in Ritson's Bibliographia Poetica. To some readers therefore the following memorial may be acceptable for its rarity; and to others, on account of the distinguished personage whom it records. If the poetry be not of the highest order, the vocation of the author must plead his excuse.

The Epitaph of the worthie Knight Sir Henrie Sidney, Lord President of Wales.

"How fraile and fickle stands the state

of mortall creatures here,

The late eclips of Sidney's sonne

doth make it plaine appeere;

Whose pearles praise triumphant fame,
oft caus'd to scale the skies,
And standes for sundry rare exploits

a mirrour to mens eies;

Till gastfull death, with dismaile dart,
procur'd through envie's spight,
Untwin'd his twist, brake of his threed,
and dim'd his splendent light.

Oh why should man be puft with pride,
or beare a loftie sayle?

Sith death doth in a moment make

the hawtest courage quayle.

No state so strong, no fort so firme,
no bulwarke halfe so sound;
But soone is topsie turvie turn'd,
and tottring dasht to ground.

Let Sidney's fall a mirrour bee,
in whom alone did rest

All gallant gifts that ever lodged

in mortall creature's brest.

If