or an heroic poem." The poem thus begins,

The third, and greatest Edward's reign we sing,
The high atchievements of that martial King,
Where long successful prowesse did advance,
So many trophies in triumphed France,
And first her golden lillies bare; who o're
Pyrennes mountains to that western shore,
Where Tagus tumbles through his yellow sand
Into the ocean; stretch'd his conquering hand.

From the lines quoted, the reader will be able to judge what sort of
versifier our author was, and from this beginning he has no great
reason to expect an entertaining poem, especially as it is of the
historical kind; and he who begins a poem thus insipidly, can never
expect his readers to accompany him to the third page. May likewise
translated Lucan's Pharsalia, which poem he continued down to the
death of Julius Caesar, both in Latin and English verse.

Dr. Fuller says, that some disgust was given to him at court, which
alienated his affections from it, and determined him, in the civil
wars to adhere to the Parliament.

Mr. Philips in his Theatrum Poetarum, observes, that he stood
candidate with Sir William Davenant for the Laurel, and his ambition
being frustrated, he conceived the most violent aversion to the King
and Queen. Sir William Davenant, besides the acknowledged superiority
of his abilities, had ever distinguished himself for loyalty, and was
patronized and favoured by men of power, especially the Marquis of
Newcastle: a circumstance which we find not to have happened to May:
it is true, they were both the friends of the amiable Endymion Porter,
esq; but we are not informed whether that gentleman interested himself
on either side.

In the year 1647, was published in London in folio, The History of the
Parliament of England, which began November 3, 1640, with a Short and
Necessary View of some precedent Years, written by Thomas May, Esq;
Secretary to the Parliament, and published by their authority. In 1650
he published in 8vo. A Breviary of the History of the Parliament of
England. Besides these works, Mr. Philips tells us, he wrote a History
of Henry IV. in English verse, the Comedy of the Old Wives Tale, and
the History of Orlando Furioso; but the latter, Mr. Langbaine, who is
a higher authority than Philips, assures us was written before May was
able to hold a pen, much less to write a play, being printed in 4to.
London, 1594. Mr. Winstanley says, that in his history, he shews all
the spleen