[47] Watson was contemporary with, and imitator of, Sir Philip Sydney, with Daniel, Lodge, Constable, and others, in the pastoral strain of sonnets, &c.  Watson thus describes a beautiful woman—­

    “Her yellow locks exceed the beaten gold,
    Her sparkling eyes in heav’n a place deserve. 
    Her forehead high and fair, of comely mould;
      Her words are music all, of silver sound. 
      Her wit so sharp, as like can scarce be found: 
    Each eyebrow hangs, like Iris in the skies,
    Her eagle’s nose is straight, of stately frame,
    On either cheek a rose and lily lies,
    Her breath is sweet perfume or holy flame;
      Her lips more red than any coral stone,
      Her neck more white than aged swans that moan: 
    Her breast transparent is, like crystal rock,
    Her fingers long, fit for Apollo’s lute,
    Her slipper such, as Momus dare not mock;
    Her virtues are so great as make me mute: 
      What other parts she hath I need not say,
      Whose face alone is cause of my decay.”

[48] [This passage is a rather important piece of evidence in favour of the identity of the poet with the physician.]

[49] [Sir] John Davis [author of “Nosce Teipsum,” &c.]

[50] Old copy, sooping.

[51] Lock and Hudson were the Bavius and Maevius of that time.  The latter gives us this description of fear—­

    “Fear lendeth wings to aged folk to fly,
    And made them mount to places that were high;
    Fear made the woful child to wail and weep,
    For want of speed on foot and hands to creep.”

[Hudson, however, enjoyed some repute in his time, and is known as the translator from Du Bartas of the “History of Judith,” 8vo, 1584.  Lock published in 1597 a volume containing an English version of “Ecclesiastes” and a series of sonnets.]

[52] John Marston, a bold and nervous writer in Elizabeth’s reign:  the work here censured was, no doubt, his “Scourge of Villanie, 3 Books of Satyrs,” 1598.

[53] Marlowe’s character is well marked in these lines:  he was an excellent poet, but of abandoned morals, and of the most impious principles; a complete libertine and an avowed atheist.  He lost his life in a riotous fray; for, detecting his servant with his mistress, he rushed into the room with a dagger in order to stab him, but the man warded off the blow by seizing Marlowe’s wrist, and turned the dagger into his own head:  he languished some time of the wound he received, and then died, [in] the year 1593.—­A.  Wood.

[54] [Omitted in some copies.]

[55] [Omitted in some copies.]

[56] Churchyard wrote Jane Shore’s Elegy in “Mirror for Magistrates,” 4to, [1574.  It is reprinted, with additions, in his “Challenge,” 1593.]

[57] Isaac Walton, in his “Life of Hooker,” calls Nash a man of a sharp wit, and the master of a scoffing, satirical, merry pen.  His satirical vein was chiefly exerted in prose; and he is said to have more effectually discouraged and nonplussed Penry, the most notorious anti-prelate, Richard Harvey the astrologer, and their adherents, than all serious writers who attacked them.  That he was no mean poet will appear from the following description of a beautiful woman—­