d shewed Drayton some singular marks of his favour,
and seems to have admitted him as one of his poetical pensioners,
but dying before the book was finished, he lost the benefit of his
patronage. In this volume there are eighteen songs, illustrated with
the notes of the learned Mr. Selden, and there are maps before
every song, whereby the cities, mountains, forests, rivers, &c. are
represented by the figures of men and women. It is interwoven with
many episodes, such as the conquest of this Island by the Romans, the
arrival of the Saxons, the Danes and Normans, &c. And bishop Nicholson
observes, that Poly-olbion affords a much more accurate account of
this kingdom and the Dominion of Wales than could have been expected
from the pen of a poet. How poetically our author has conducted and
executed his plan, is admirably expressed by the ingenious Dr. James
Kirkpatrick, in a beautiful poem of his called the Sea-Piece. Canto
II. which I cannot here omit transcribing.

Drayton, sweet ancient bard, his Albion sung,
With their own praise, their ecchoing vallies rung;
His bounding muse o'er every mountain rode,
And ev'ry river warbled where he flow'd.

In 1619 came out his first folio-volume of poems. In 1622 the second
part of his Poly-olbion was published, making in all thirty books or
songs. In 1622 we find him stiled Poet Laureat: It is probable this
appellation of Poet Laureat was not confined and restricted as it is
now to his Majesty's Servant known by that title, who at that time it
is presumed was Ben Johnson, because it was bestowed promiscuously as
a mark of any poet's excellency in his profession.

In 1627 was published the second volume of his poems, containing the
battle of Agencourt, in stanzas of eight lines. The mysteries of Queen
Margaret in the like stanzas. Nymphidia, or the Court of Faeries. The
Quest of Cynthia, another beautiful piece, both reprinted in Dryden's
Miscellanies. The Shepherd's Sirena; also the Moon Calf; Satire on the
Masculine Affectations of Women, and the the effeminate disguises of
the Men, in those times. Elegies upon several occasions. These are
introduced by the vision of Ben Johnson on the Muse of his friend
Michael Drayton, wherein he very particularly enumerates and praises
his several compositions. In 1630 he published another volume of poems
in 4to, intitled the Muses Elizium, in ten sundry Nymphals, with three
different poems on Noah's flood; Moses his birth and miracl