good meaning, forceth me to present vnto your honour, the handfull of water, (as it were) which was presented vnto the mightie Artaxerxes, who with such mildnes did accepte the same, that he said no lesse noblenesse did consist in receyuing small thinges, then to giue great and mightie giftes. Right humbly beseeching, that it may please your honour, not onely to receive this simple present in good part, but my sincere meaning into your good favour: I shall not cease with fortified minde to craue the Omnipotent GOD to giue your honour large and vertuous increase to the noblenes of your minde, as also the concluding and most absolute felicitie, which yeeldeth happines in all worlds.

"Your Honours

"To the Reader.

"Most humble to commaund,
"EDWARD HELLOWES."

"Right Christian Reader, dedicating my selfe vnto thy good disposition, by this smal treatise, I giue thee thee to vnderstand, of the first and old inuention, as also the inuenters, chiefly of gallies, as also of shippes: by whiche deuice wee generally conceiue all countries to obteine participation of eache others commodities: sea fishing with the profits and nourishment thereof obteyned: as also the territories of diuers countries defended: with diuers and many such others. Wherein of the other part, if I should alledge the opinion of certeyne, whiche affirme, that so vnremoueable bounds declareth Gods omnipotent ordinace, that euery country so diuided ought to content themselues to liue, by the gifts of the same God and countrie: and that God's justice

justice consenteth not vnto so great mischeifes, which both first and last shippes and gallies not onely by murders and slaughters haue been committed, but also by transporting excessiue vanities, aduauncing this world's insolencie, would not growe ouerlong and tedious, but also somewhat besides the matter. But to the purpose, thou hast also (gentle reader) herein to vnderstad the opinions of diuers philosophers, which in their owne persons would neuer consent vnto Nauigation, wherein as mee seemeth they haue discouered their owne weaknes of al men to be noted, but not of all persons to be imbraced. Also the mightie and famous pirates of old time, to be meruailed how they might atteine vnto so great power and continuance; and in the end vnto so miserable destruction. Also priuileges somewhat straunge which they vse in gallies, of all persons which meane to haunt the same to be noted. Also the subtile disposition of the sea and perillous properties thereof aptly declared. As also the necessarie prouision for passengers, therein to be vsed. Farewell."

Then follows "A Letter Missiue, or Dedication of the Authour, vnto the renowned Sir Fraunces de la Cobos," and then the Introduction.

ART. XII. Characters and Elegies. By Francis Wortley, Knight and Baronet. Printed in the Yeere CIO IOC XLVI. [1646] 4to. pp. 68.

This well-bred person, (says Wood) * who was numbered among the poets of his time, was born of an

ancient and knightly family at Wortley in Yorkshire, became a Commoner of Magdalen College, Oxon. in 1608, at the age of 17; was made a Knight in 1610, and a Baronet in the following year; being then esteemed an ingenious gentleman. Afterwards settling on his patrimony, he trod in the steps of his worthy ancestors, in hospitality, charity, and good neighbourhood. But when he saw a predominant party in the parliament (Nov. 1640) that were preparing to raise an army against their Sovereign, he collected a troop of horse in the royal cause, and being made colonel, fortified his mansion of Wortley-hall, did good service, and was much valued by the king, When the parliamentarians prevailed, Sir Francis was taken prisoner, committed to the tower of London, and lost most of his estate from his unshaken loyalty. At his release he compounded for that part of his possession which was left, in Goldsmith's Hall, became much in debt, lived in the White Friers near FleetStreet, and died there, says his biographer, but the time of his decease is unknown.

Wood mentions as his productions:-A poem in commiseration of the sorrows and sufferings of the most virtuous and most unfortunate princess Elizabeth, Q. of Bohemia, 1641, 4to. (See CENSURA, II. 188.) A Declaration from York, in vindication of himself from divers aspersions, 1642, 4to.

Mercurius Britannicus, his welcome to Hell, &c. Written against Marchmont Nedham, author of the Mercurii Britannici, 1647, 4to.

A loyal song of the Royal Feast, kept by the prisoners in the Tower, in Aug. 1647.

But his characters and elegies appear to constitute

his chief claim to remembrance as an author. Whether they were published seems doubtful, as no bookseller's name occurs in the title-page. The characters are in prose, and delineate "His Royal Majestie." [Cha. 1.] "The Queene's Majestic." [Henrietta Maria.] "The hopefull Prince." [Cha. II] "The illustrious James, Duke of York." [James II.] "A noble Generall." "A true English Protestant." "An Antinomian, or Anabaptisticall Independent.” "A Jesuite." "A northerne Lady, as she is Wife, Mother, and Sister." "The Politique Neuter." "The Citie Paragon." "A sharking Committee-man." "Britannicus his pedigree." "The Phoenix of the Court."

The elegies are mostly consecrated to those worthies who lost their lives in the King's service, and are concluded by short epitaphs in Latin prose on Robert Earl of Lindsay, Spencer Earl of Northampton, Robert Earl of Kingston, Robert Earl of Carnarvon, Three sons of the Duke of Richmond and Lenox, Lucius Visct. Falkland, Sir Charles Cavendish, Two sons of the Earl of Chesterfield, Sir Richard Hutton, Sir Bevil Granville, Sir Wm. Evers, Sir Tho. Metham, and Sir Wm. Wentworth, Sir John Smith, Sir Henry Spelman, Col. Slaney, Henry Morton,* Colonels Howard, Heron, Fenwick, Lambton, Clavering, and Carnaby, Countess of Dorset, Francis Quarles.

During the author's imprisonment he composed some lines distinguished by sage reflection and apposite illustration, as the following specimen will shew.

"What's Liberty, it should be so desir'd?
"Tis only when denied to men, admir'd.

Son of Sir George Morton, Bart. who married the sister of Sir Francis

We're more displeas'd with the least negative

Than pleas'd with all that God to man can give.
We're scarcely pleas'd with God's great'st blessings,
health

And liberty, unless God give us wealth.
But once imprison'd in our beds, and then
We wish the use of these good things agen:

Yet whilst we had them we scarce knew their good,
They were Heaven's blessing, but scarce understood.
'Tis then the use makes happy men, not having
Of that we use not well, or still are craving
More than we have; be it or more or lesse,
A thankfull state is man's true happiness!
Imprisonment, admit it ne'er so close,
Is to a wise man but his soule's repose;

And the lesse roome he hath, his soul's more free
Than when she had her wanton liberty.

Weak eyes cannot endure the glaring light

Of the bright sun, nor things which are too white;
These do disperse the radii of the eyes,
We better can endure the cloudy skies:
Were I immur'd so I could see no sun,
My soule her winged horses could out-run;
I could with Heaven a correspondence keep,
As Jonas did, close prisoner in the deep.
Men in the deepest pits see best by far
The sun's eclipses; and finde every star
When sight's contracted and is more intent:
So is men's souls in close imprisonment !"

This interesting volume is inscribed "to the Lovers of Honour and Poesie, whose constitutions are even and equal, not overbalanced with earthly and base metal, but who love honour and gallantry in any man, et virtus in hoste probatur.”

T. P.

ART.