licence, then the conclusion is certain, that it is forfeited, and to be siezed to the King, and the dignity extinguished in the Crown, whence it was derived."

Henry Lord Abergavenny died 1587, leaving Mary his sole daughter and heir, who became wife of Sir Thomas Fane, who challenged the Barony of Abergavenny against Edward Neville, son of Sir Edward, younger brother of her grandfather George Lord A.; on which Sir Edward, the Castle of Abergavenny was settled both by testament and act of parliament. But the dispute was not determined till May 25, 1 James I. when, after great arguments, the title of Lord Abergavenny was, both by judgment of the House of Peers, and order ofthe Lords Commissioners for the office of Earl Marshal of England, decreed for the heir male; and, to make some amends to the heir female, the Barony of Le Despenser was confirmed to her and the heirs of her body.

ART. DCCCLXI. What Peace to the Wicked? or an Expostulatorie Answer to a Derisorie Question, lately made, concerning Peace. By a Free-man, though a Prisoner.

"The Author spares his name; not, that he dares not To let you know it; but, because he cares not."

Printed in the Yeer 1646, pp. 6. Double columns.

THIS is one of the tracts by that "old puritan satyrist," (as Wood calls him) GEORGE WITHER, consisting of above 500 lines; and appears to have been written at the time he was suffering imprisonment on account of some reflections on Sir Richard Onslow,

of Surry, Knt. inserted in an apologetical discourse in English, published with the "Justiciarus justificatus," in 1646: and upon which Wood says "arose a debate in April the same year, in the House of Commons, and at length in August following, it was voted by them, that G. Wither, author thereof, should pay to the said Sir R. Onslow 5001. for damages, and that the book be burnt by the hand of the common hangman; at which time Wither was in prison for it, and continued there about a year."

This poem begins with putting the question.

"One, who hath, seldom, in his daies,

From fooles, or knaves, had love or praise;
And, who, throughout this isle, is knowne,
With cheerfulnesse, to have bestowne
His wit, paines, person, and estate,
The publike rights to vindicate;
A long imprisonment hath had,

For calling of a spade, a spade;

Which (if a court-card) might have been
Next to the King, except the Queen.

As he, in his confinement lay,

Some asked him, the other day,

When he supposed this Warre should end,

Or what successes should attend

Our hopes of peace? Which Question, tho'

From levity it seem'd to flow,

Or, scoffingly, to be exprest,

Receiv'd this answer, not in jest."

Of the various factions that divided the kingdom at that period, he gives the following description. "If waste Jerusalem was made,

Who, therein, but three factions had,

This island how may we deplore,

Wherein are three times three, and more!

Some, with the Parliament partake,

Some, for rhe King a party make,
As he is king; and some, that he

A tyrant might become to be:
Some would a popular estate,
Some Aristocracy create;

Some are a faction for the pope ;
Some, to maintain the prelates' hope;
Some, for the presbyterians vote;
Some Independency promote;

Some, strive for this, and some for that;
Some, neither know nor care for what:
So wars go on, and get they may
Free-quarter, plunder and their pay.
Some fight their liberties to save,
Some, that they others might enslave;
Some, for Religion, and for Christ,
Some, that they may do what they list;
Some, for the Common-wealth's availe,
Some, for themselves, with tooth and naile;
And they that have the basest end,
As fairly as the best, pretend;
Not caring whether their desire
Obtained be, by sword or fire,
By truth or lies, with love or hate;
By treachery or fair debate.

This is our posture; and, whilst we,
So foolish false and factious be,
(Or whilst affaires continue thus)
Who knows what will become of us?
Or, when the man, who these lines pen'd,
Shall find good usage, or a friend."

The author concludes his poem with what may be the foundation of peace, by the parliament getting rid of its faction, making one hecatomb of the Committees, &c. Then

Peace be not firmly settled here;
My loans and losses yet unpaid,
(With my arrears, three years delay'd)
Ile forfeit wholly to the state;
And live still, as I've done of late,

By swallowing wrongs, by empty aire,

And, patience kept, through faith and prayer.
Thus to the question made, you have
That answer which our Prisoner gave ;
Who other tales will tell, if he

Much longer shall imprison'd be.

A Spaniel beaten, at your foot will lie;

An English Mastive, at your face will flie."

J. H.

ART. DCCCLXII. Certeine serious Thoughts which at severall times and upon sundry occasions have stollen themselves into verse, and now into the publike view, from the author [In a circle of laurel, arms on a shield bearing a crescent, vaire, or & azure; with nine cross crosslets and three cinque. foils argent.] , Esquire. Together with a Chronologicall Table denoeting the names of such Princes as ruled the neighbor States and were con-temporary to our English Kings, observeing

throughout ye. number of yeares which every one of them reigned. London: Printed by F. B. for George Badger, aud are to be sold at his shop in St. Dunstons Church-Yard, Fleetstreet. 1647 Title in an ornamented tablet, engraved by W. Marshall. 12mo. pp. 88.

THE author of this little collection of religious poems received part of his education of Master Wroth of Epping, in Essex; to whom some lines are addressed, and whose pithy sermons, doubling in number the Sundays in a year, appear to be described as posthumously known. There is a trace of the author's age in another piece, the "third part of se venty years having already slipt," a period from which to expect the Esquire would have thought haughty dames and feats of chivalry fittest subjects to clang the Muses lyre; but the dulcet notes sound only in divine praise of the Superior Being; and of war he seems to have considered his own apparent imbecility of character at that period in some lines on Feb. 8, 1642, beginning,

"Tis not base trembling, cowardice and fear,
That makes me in this fighting age forbear

but he would have marched through seas of blood to serve the country, invoking curses on those who did not honour Charles and his princely son, yet suspecting many unsound adopted similar dialect.

"The form-obtrudors may deform and make
Eneruous, whilst the church of Rome doth take