Writers.- William of Malmesbury.  He was the next historiographer of this nation to Venerable Bede, as he himself written; and was fain, he sayes, to pick out his history out of ballads and old rhythmes..... hundred yeares after Bede.  He dedicates his history to [Robert, Earl of Gloucester] “filio naturali Henrici primi”.  He wrote also the history of the abbey of Glastonbury, which is in manuscript in the library of Trinity College in Cambridge, wherein are many good remarques to be found, as Dr. Thomas Gale of Paules schoole enformes me. [This was edited by Gale, and published at Oxford in 1691, 8vo. — J. B.]

Robertus Sarisburiensis wrote a good discourse, De Piscinis, mentioned and commended by Sir Henry Wotton in his Elements of Architecture.  Q. Anth.  Wood, de hoc.

Dr.....  Forman, - Mr. Ashmole thinkes his name was John, [Simon.-
J. B.]- physitian and astrologer, was born at Wilton, in Wilts.  He was
of the University of Oxford, but took his degree of Doctor in
Cambridge, practised in Salisbury, where he was persecuted for his
astrologie, which in those ignorant times was accounted conjuring.  He
then came to London, where he had very good practise, and did great
cures; but the college hated him, and at last drove him out of London: 
so he lived and died at Lambeth, where he lies buried.  Elias Ashmole,
Esq. has severall bookes of his writing (never printed), as also his
own life.  There it may be seen whether he was not a favorite of Mary,
Countesse of Pembroke.  He was a chymist, as far as chymistry went in
those dayes, and ’tis very likely he was a favorite of her honour’s. 
Quaere Mr. Dennet, the Earl of Pembrock’s steward, if he had not a
pension from the Earl of Pembrock?  Forman is a common name in Calne
parish, Wilts, where there are still severall wealthy men, cloathiers,
&c. of that name; but tempore Reginæ Elizabethæ there was a Forman
of Calne, Lord Maior of London.  My grandfather Lyte told me that at
his Lord Maior’s shew there was the representation of the creation
of the world, and writt underneath, “and all for man.” [Some
interesting passages from Forman’s Ms. Diary have recently been
brought forward by Mr. Collier in illustration of the history of
Shakspere’s works.  They describe some very early performances of
several of his plays, at which Forman was present. — J. B.]

Sr Johan Davys, Knight, was born at Tysbury; his father was a tanner.  He wrote a poeme in English, called “Nosce Teipsum"*; also Reports.  He was Lord Chief Justice in Ireland.  His wife was sister to the Earle of Castle-Haven that was beheaded; she had also aliquid dementiæ, and was a prophetesse, for which she was confined in the Tower, before the late troubles, for her predictions.  His onely daughter and heire was married to [Ferdinando] Earle of Huntingdon.

["Nosce Teipsum:  this oracle expounded in two elegies. 1st.  Of Human knowledge. 2nd.  Of the soule of man, and the immortality thereof;” with acrostics on Queen Elizabeth. (London, 1609, small 8vo.) The works of the above named Lady Eleanor Davies, the prophetess, widow of Sir John, were of a most extraordinary kind.  See a list of them in Watt’s Bibliotheca Britannica. — J. B.]