When he married is not on record, or in what circumstances he lived:  But it is very probable, his father took care to support him in a manner suitable to his own quality, and his son’s extraordinary merit, he being always stiled Edward Fairfax, Esq; of Newhall in Fuystone, in the forest of Knaresborough.  The year in which he died is likewise uncertain, and the last account we hear of him is, that he was living in 1631, which shews, that he was then pretty well advanced in years, and as I suppose gave occasion to the many mistakes that have been made as to the time of his writing.  Besides the translation of Godfrey of Bulloigne, Mr. Fairfax wrote the history of Edward the Black Prince, and certain eclogues, which Mrs. Cooper tells us are yet in manuscript, tho’ (says she) “by the indulgence of the family, from whom I had likewise the honour of these memoirs, I am permitted to oblige the world with a specimen of their beauties.”  He wrote also a book called, Daemonologie, in which he shews a great deal of ancient reading and knowledge; it is still in manuscript, and in the beginning he gives this character of himself[2].  “I am in religion neither a fantastic Puritan, nor superstitious Papist, but so settled in conscience, that I have the sure ground of God’s word to warrant all I believe, and the commendable ordinances of our English Church, to approve all I practise; In which course I live a faithful Christian, and an obedient, and so teach my family.”  The eclogues already mentioned are twelve in number, all of them written after the accession of King James to the throne of England, on important subjects, relating to the manners, characters, and incidents of the times he lived in:  they are pointed with many fine strokes of satire, dignified with noble instructions of morality, and policy, to those of the highest rank, and some modest hints to Majesty itself.  The learning contained in these eclogues is so various and extensive, lhat according to the opinion of his son, who has written long annotations on each, no man’s reading besides his own was sufficient to explain his references effectually.  As his translation of Tasso is in every body’s hand, we shall take the specimen from the fourth eclogue, called Eglon and Alexis, as I find it in Mrs. Cooper’s collection.

Eglon and Alexis.

  Whilst on the rough, and heath-strew’d wilderness
  His tender flocks the rasps, and bramble crop,
  Poor shepherd Eglon, full of sad distress! 
  By the small stream, fat on a mole-hill top: 
  Crowned with a wreath of Heban branches broke: 
  Whom good Alexis found, and thus bespoke.

  Alexis.

  My friend, what means this silent lamentation? 
  Why on this field of mirth, this realm of smiles
  Doth the fierce war of grief make such invasion? 
  Witty Timanthes[3] had he seen, e’re whiles,
  What face of woe thy cheek of sadness bears,
  He had not curtained Agamemnon’s