The Voyce of Anne Askewe, oute of the 54 Psalme of David, called Deus in nomine tuo. "For thy name's sake be my refuge, I wote thou wylt revenge my wronge, I will therfore my whole hart bende Thy gracyouse name (Lorde) to commende. Declarynge what myne ennemies be. Stamford. Prayse to God." O. G. ART. ART. II. A Line of Life. Pointing at the Immortalitie of a vertuous Name. Printed by W. S. for N. Butter, and are to be sold at his shop neere Saint Austen's Gate. 1520. 12mo. pp. 127. The author of this excellent little manual was John Ford, (most probably the celebrated dramatic writer.) In a preface to the "Wise and therein Noble," he observes," here in this (scarce an) handful of discourse is deciphered, not what any personally is, but what any personally may be: to the intent, that by the view of other's wounds, we might provide playsters and cures for our owne, if occasion impose them." Having animadverted at some length upon the baneful effects resulting from flattery and flatterers, at page 74, we find these shrewd observations-" Flatterie to publique persons, is not more inductious on the one side, then envie on the other is vigilant. Great men are by great men (not good men by good men) narrowly sifted; their lives, their actions, their demeanors examined; for that their places and honours are hunted after, as the Beazar for his preservatives; and then the least blemish, the least slide, the least error, the least offence, is exasperated, made capitall; the dangers ensuing ever proove (like the wound of an enemies sword) mortall, and many times deadly. Now in this case, when the eye of judgement is awakened, flatterie is discovered to be but an inmate to envie; an inmate, at least, consulting together though not dwelling together, the one being catarer to the other's bloudie banquet; and some wise men have been perswaded, that the pestilence, the rigour of law, famine, sicknes, or war, have not devoured more great ones then flattery and envie." - The following character of the Earl of Essex which occurs at p. 76, exhibits the concise and nervous style of the author in a favourable point of view. "In England not long agoe there was a man supereminent in honours, desertfull in many services, indeared to a vertuous and a wise Queene, Elizabeth of glorious memorie, and eternall happinesse a man too publikely beloved, and too confident of the love he held; Robert Earle of Essex, and Earle Marshall of the Kingdome; he, even he that was thought too high to fall, and too fixed to be removed, in a verie handfull of time, felt the misery of greatnesse, by relying on such as flattered and envyed his greatnesse. His end was their end, and the execution of law is a witnesse in him to posteritie, how a publike person is not at any time longer happie, then hee preserves his happinesse with a resolution that depends upon the guard of innoce cie and goodnes." J. H. M. ART. III. ROBERT SOUTH WELL. Mr. Ellis, speaking of this writer, observes, "that his poems, all of which are on moral or religious subjects, are far from deserving the neglect which they have experienced." In addition to the Specimens brought forwards by that gentleman, I have been induced to select extracts from the following poem, which from its intrinsic merit, and the scarcity of the work in which it is con tained, tained, appears to be well worthy of preservation. It is entitled, "Losse in delayes. "Shun delayes, they breed remorse, Take thy time while time doth serve thee, Creeping snayles have weakest force, Flie their fault, lest thou repent thee. Hoist up saile while gale doth last, Sober speed is wisdome's leisure; Time weares all his lockes before, Take thou hold upon his forehead, And behinde his scalpe is naked. Seeke thy salve while sore is greene, Often sought, scarce ever chancing. Tender twigs are bent with ease, Aged trees doe breake with bending, Young desires make little prease, Growth doth make them past amending: Happie man that soone doth knocke Babel's babes against the rocke," |