gree of a baron, by the title
of lord Brooke of Beauchamps-court, and one of the lords of the
bed-chamber to his Majesty. This noble author was the friend of Sir
Philip Sidney, than which a greater compliment cannot be bestowed. As
he was a poet and a man of wit he was held in the highest esteem in
that courtly age; but he added to genius, a gallantry of spirit, and
was as fine a soldier as a writer. Winstanley gives an instance of his
prowess in arms.

"At the time (says he) when the French ambassador
came over to England to negotiate a marriage
between the duke of Anjou, and Queen
Elizabeth, for the better entertainment of the
court, solemn justs were proclaimed, where the
Earl of Arundel, Frederick lord Windsor, Sir Philip
Sidney, and he, were chief challengers against
all comers; in which challenge he behaved
himself so gallantly, that he won the reputation
of a most valiant knight. Thus you see
that tho' case be the nurse of poetry, the Muses
are also companions to Mars, as may be
exemplified in the characters of the Earl of
Surry, Sir Philip Sidney, and Sir Fulk Greville."

As our Author loved and admired the ladies, it is somewhat
extraordinary, that he died a batchelor; for in all that courtly age,
he could not find one on whom to confer the valuable prize of his
heart. As he was himself a learned man, and possessed a variety of
knowledge, so he patronized many necessitous candidates for fame, but
particularly Camden, whom he caused by his interest to be made King
at Arms. He was likewise very liberal to Mr. Speed the celebrated
chronologer: finding him a man of extensive knowledge, and his
occupation and circumstances mean, so that his genius was depressed by
poverty, he enabled him to prosecute his studies, and pursue the bent
of his genius without being obliged to drudge at a manual employment
for his bread. Speed in his description of Warwickshire writes thus
of lord Brook, "Whose merit (says he) towards me I do acknowledge, in
setting my hand free from the daily employments of a manual trade,
and giving it full liberty thus to express the inclination of mind,
himself being the procurer of my present estate." He passed thro' life
in a calm of prosperity and honour, beloved by his equals, reverenced
by his inferiors, and a favourite at court; but when he was about
seventy years of age, this life of undisturbed tranquility, was
sacrificed to the resentment of a villain, and a