The Lives of the Most Famous English Poets (1687)THE LIVESReading editionChapter navigation159 reading sectionsGo to chapterChoose a chapter…THE LIVESEnglish Poets.William Winstanley.William Riley ParkerIntroductionLIVESEnglish Poets,ESSAYKing JAMES II.TO THE WORSHIPFUL Francis Bradbury, Esq;THE PREFACE TO THE READER.The Names of the Poets Mention'd in this Book.LIVESThe Life of ROBERT of Glocester.RICHARD the Hermit.JOSEPH of Exeter.MICHAEL BLAUNPAYN.MATTHEW PARIS.WILLIAM RAMSEY.ALEXANDER NEQUAM.ALEXANDER ESSEBIE.ROBERT BASTON.HENRY BRADSHAW.HAVILLAN.JOHN GOWER.GEOFFERY CHAUCER.JOHN LYDGATE.JOHN HARDING.ROBERT FABIAN.JOHN SKELTON.WILLIAM LILLIE.Sir THOMAS MORE.HENRY HOWARD Earl of Surrey.Sir THOMAS WIAT the Elder.Dr. CHRISTOPHER TYE.JOHN LELAND.THOMAS CHURCHYARD.JOHN HIGGINS.ABRAHAM FRAUNCE.WILLIAM WARNER.THOMAS TUSSER.THOMAS STORER.THOMAS LODGE.ROBERT GREENE.THOMAS NASH.Sir PHILIP SIDNEY.Sir FULK GREVIL.Mr. EDMOND SPENSER.Sir JOHN HARRINGTON.JOHN HEYWOOD.THOMAS HEYWOOD.GEORGE PEEL.JOHN LILLY.WILLIAM WAGER.NICHOLAS BRETON.THOMAS KID, THOMAS WATSON, &c.Sir THOMAS OVERBURY.Mr. MICHAEL DRAYTON.JOSHUA SYLVESTER.Mr. SAMUEL DANIEL.GEORGE CHAPMAN.ROBERT BARON.LODOVIC CARLISLE.JOHN FORD.ANTHONY BREWER.HENRY GLAPTHORN.JOHN DAVIS of Hereford.Doctor JOHN DONNE.Dr. RICHARD CORBET.Mr. BENJAMIN JOHNSON.FRANCIS BEAUMONT and JOHN FLETCHER.WILLIAM SHAKESPEAR.CHRISTOPHER MARLOW.BARTON HOLYDAY.CYRIL TURNER.THOMAS MIDLETON.WILLIAM ROWLEY.THOMAS DECKER.JOHN MARSTON.Dr. JASPER MAIN.JAMES SHIRLEY.PHILIP MASSINGER.JOHN WEBSTER.WILLIAM BROWN.THOMAS RANDOLPH.Sir JOHN BEAUMONT Baronet.Dr. PHILEMON HOLLAND.THOMAS GOFF.THOMAS NABBES.RICHARD BROOME.ROBERT CHAMBERLAIN.WILLIAM SAMPSON.GEORGE SANDYS, Esquire.Sir JOHN SUCKLING.Mr. WILLIAM HABINGTON.Mr. FRANCIS QUARLES.Mr. PHINEAS FLETCHER.Mr. GEORGE HERBERT.Mr. RICHARD CRASHAW.Mr. WILLIAM CARTWRIGHT.Sir ASTON COCKAIN.Sir JOHN DAVIS.THOMAS MAY.CHARLES ALEYN.GEORGE WITHERS.ROBERT HERRIC.JOHN TAYLOR the Water-Poet.THOMAS RAWLINS.Mr. THOMAS CAREWCol. RICHARD LOVELACE.ALEXANDER BROOME.Mr. JOHN CLEVELAND.Sir JOHN BERKENHEAD.Dr. ROBERT WILD.Mr. ABRAHAM COWLEY.Mr. EDMOND WALLER.Sir JOHN DENHAM.Sir WILLIAM DAVENANT.Sir GEORGE WHARTON.Sir ROBERT HOWARD.WILLIAM CAVENDISH Duke of New-CastleSir WILLIAM KILLIGREW.JOHN STUDLEY.JOHN TATHAM.THOMAS JORDEN.HUGH CROMPTON.EDMUND PRESTWICH.PAGAN FISHER.EDWARD SHIRBURN, Esq;JOHN QUARLES.JOHN MILTON.JOHN OGILBY.Sir RICHARD FANSHAW.ROGER BOILE, Lord Broghil, Earl of Orrery.THOMAS HOBBS of Malmsbury.Earl of ROCHESTER.Mr. THOMAS FLATMAN.MARTIN LUELLIN.EDMOND FAIRFAX.HENRY KING Bishop of Chichester.THOMAS MANLEY.Mr. LEWYS GRIFFIN.JOHN DAUNCEY.RICHARD HEAD.JOHN PHILLIPS.Mr. JOHN OLDHAM.Mr. JOHN DRIDEN.Mr. ELKUNAH SETTLE.Sir GEORGE ETHERIDGE.Mr. JOHN WILSON.Mr. THOMAS SHADWELL.THOMAS STANLEY.EDWARD PHILLIPS.Mr. THOMAS SPRAT.WILLIAM SMITH.Mr. JOHN LACEY.Mr. WILLIAM WHICHERLY.Sir ROGER L'ESTRANGE.ERRATA.Beginning of this editionNext chapter →English Poets.All chapters and sections (159)THE LIVESEnglish Poets.William Winstanley.William Riley ParkerIntroductionLIVESEnglish Poets,ESSAYKing JAMES II.TO THE WORSHIPFUL Francis Bradbury, Esq;THE PREFACE TO THE READER.The Names of the Poets Mention'd in this Book.LIVESThe Life of ROBERT of Glocester.RICHARD the Hermit.JOSEPH of Exeter.MICHAEL BLAUNPAYN.MATTHEW PARIS.WILLIAM RAMSEY.ALEXANDER NEQUAM.ALEXANDER ESSEBIE.ROBERT BASTON.HENRY BRADSHAW.HAVILLAN.JOHN GOWER.GEOFFERY CHAUCER.JOHN LYDGATE.JOHN HARDING.ROBERT FABIAN.JOHN SKELTON.WILLIAM LILLIE.Sir THOMAS MORE.HENRY HOWARD Earl of Surrey.Sir THOMAS WIAT the Elder.Dr. CHRISTOPHER TYE.JOHN LELAND.THOMAS CHURCHYARD.JOHN HIGGINS.ABRAHAM FRAUNCE.WILLIAM WARNER.THOMAS TUSSER.THOMAS STORER.THOMAS LODGE.ROBERT GREENE.THOMAS NASH.Sir PHILIP SIDNEY.Sir FULK GREVIL.Mr. EDMOND SPENSER.Sir JOHN HARRINGTON.JOHN HEYWOOD.THOMAS HEYWOOD.GEORGE PEEL.JOHN LILLY.WILLIAM WAGER.NICHOLAS BRETON.THOMAS KID, THOMAS WATSON, &c.Sir THOMAS OVERBURY.Mr. MICHAEL DRAYTON.JOSHUA SYLVESTER.Mr. SAMUEL DANIEL.GEORGE CHAPMAN.ROBERT BARON.LODOVIC CARLISLE.JOHN FORD.ANTHONY BREWER.HENRY GLAPTHORN.JOHN DAVIS of Hereford.Doctor JOHN DONNE.Dr. RICHARD CORBET.Mr. BENJAMIN JOHNSON.FRANCIS BEAUMONT and JOHN FLETCHER.WILLIAM SHAKESPEAR.CHRISTOPHER MARLOW.BARTON HOLYDAY.CYRIL TURNER.THOMAS MIDLETON.WILLIAM ROWLEY.THOMAS DECKER.JOHN MARSTON.Dr. JASPER MAIN.JAMES SHIRLEY.PHILIP MASSINGER.JOHN WEBSTER.WILLIAM BROWN.THOMAS RANDOLPH.Sir JOHN BEAUMONT Baronet.Dr. PHILEMON HOLLAND.THOMAS GOFF.THOMAS NABBES.RICHARD BROOME.ROBERT CHAMBERLAIN.WILLIAM SAMPSON.GEORGE SANDYS, Esquire.Sir JOHN SUCKLING.Mr. WILLIAM HABINGTON.Mr. FRANCIS QUARLES.Mr. PHINEAS FLETCHER.Mr. GEORGE HERBERT.Mr. RICHARD CRASHAW.Mr. WILLIAM CARTWRIGHT.Sir ASTON COCKAIN.Sir JOHN DAVIS.THOMAS MAY.CHARLES ALEYN.GEORGE WITHERS.ROBERT HERRIC.JOHN TAYLOR the Water-Poet.THOMAS RAWLINS.Mr. THOMAS CAREWCol. RICHARD LOVELACE.ALEXANDER BROOME.Mr. JOHN CLEVELAND.Sir JOHN BERKENHEAD.Dr. ROBERT WILD.Mr. ABRAHAM COWLEY.Mr. EDMOND WALLER.Sir JOHN DENHAM.Sir WILLIAM DAVENANT.Sir GEORGE WHARTON.Sir ROBERT HOWARD.WILLIAM CAVENDISH Duke of New-CastleSir WILLIAM KILLIGREW.JOHN STUDLEY.JOHN TATHAM.THOMAS JORDEN.HUGH CROMPTON.EDMUND PRESTWICH.PAGAN FISHER.EDWARD SHIRBURN, Esq;JOHN QUARLES.JOHN MILTON.JOHN OGILBY.Sir RICHARD FANSHAW.ROGER BOILE, Lord Broghil, Earl of Orrery.THOMAS HOBBS of Malmsbury.Earl of ROCHESTER.Mr. THOMAS FLATMAN.MARTIN LUELLIN.EDMOND FAIRFAX.HENRY KING Bishop of Chichester.THOMAS MANLEY.Mr. LEWYS GRIFFIN.JOHN DAUNCEY.RICHARD HEAD.JOHN PHILLIPS.Mr. JOHN OLDHAM.Mr. JOHN DRIDEN.Mr. ELKUNAH SETTLE.Sir GEORGE ETHERIDGE.Mr. JOHN WILSON.Mr. THOMAS SHADWELL.THOMAS STANLEY.EDWARD PHILLIPS.Mr. THOMAS SPRAT.WILLIAM SMITH.Mr. JOHN LACEY.Mr. WILLIAM WHICHERLY.Sir ROGER L'ESTRANGE.ERRATA.Of the Most FamousEnglish Poets. →