Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 10.djvu/352

 15 Oct. 1579, has the running title 'Churchyardes Choise.' It contains a general review of the exploits of English soldiers and sailors from the reign of Henry VIII to the early days of Elizabeth; moral discourses, poems, &c. In celebration of Elizabeth's progress of 1578, Churchyard published ' A Disco vrse of the Queenes Maiesties entertainement in Suffolk and Norfolk. . . Whereynto is adioyned a Commendation of Sir Humfrey Gilberts ventrous ioumey' (1579), 4to. Some copies of this tract contain 'A welcome home ' to Martin Frobisher, whose exploits Churchyard had recounted in an interesting tract entitled 'A Prayse and Reporte of Maister Martyne Froboishers Voyage to Meta Incognita,' 1578, 12mo. In 15S) Churchyard published the following pieces : 1. 'A Plaine or most True Report of a dangerous seruice stoutely attempted and manfully brought to passe by English men, Scottes men, Wallons and other worthy soldiers, for the takynjj of Macklin on the Sodaine, a strong Citee in Flaunders,' 8vo. 2. 'A warning to the wise . . . Written of the late earthquake chanced in London and other places, the 6th of April, 1580,' 8vo. 3. 'The Services of Sir William Drury, Lord Justice of Irelande in 1578 and 1579,' 4to. 4. 'A pleasaunte Laborinth called Churchyardes Chance,' 4to. 5. 'A light Bondell of liuly discourses called Churchyardes Charge,' 4to, dedicated to the Earl of Surrey, grandson of Churchyard's earliest patron. 6. 'Ovid de Tristibus,' reprinted for the Roxburghe Club in 1810. The most valuable of Churchyard's works is 'The Worthines of Wales,' 1587, 4to, a long chorographical poem full of his- torical and antiquarian interest; it was reprinted in 1776, and a facsimile edition was issued in 1871 by the Spenser Society. In 1588 appeared 'A Sparke of Friendship and Warme Goodwill,' 4to, dedicated to Sir Walter Raleigh; in 1592 'A Handefvl of Gladsome Verses giuen to the Queenes Maiesty at Woedstocke,' 4to; and in 1593 'A Pleasant Conceite penned in verse. . . presented on New-yeeres day last, to the Queen's Maiestie at Hampton Courte,' 4to. The 'Pleasant Conceite was presented to the queen in gratitude for a pension that she had bestowed upon the old poet. At the close of the tract there is a laudatory notice of Nashe, with some reflections on Nashe's opponent Gabriel Harvey. There had been a quarrel, of which the particulars are unknown, between Nashe and Churchyard, and in his 'Foure Letters,' 1592 (Gabriel Harvey, Workstcd. Grosart,i. 199), Harvey says that Nashe, 'in the ruffe of his freshest iollity, was faine to cry M. Churchyard a mercy in printe.' Nashe, in Ins 'Foure Letters confuted,' 1593 (Nashe, Worhtf ed. Grosart, ii. 252-3), after acknowledging that he had done Churchyard an 'unadvised indammagement,' adds that the quarrel had been 'deep buried in the grave of oblivion,' and that he was a sincere admirer of Churchyard's 'aged Muse that may well be grandmother to our grandeloquentest poets at this present.' This handsome apology, coupled with a highly complimentary notice of 'Shore's Wife,' gave Churchyard the liveliest satisfaction. The collection issued in 1593 under the title of Churchyard's Challenge,' 4to, contains a number of pieces in prose and verse, some printed for the first time, and others reprinted from earlier collections. In the address 'To the worthiest sorte of People that gently can reade and justly can juoge,' Churchyard announced that ids next work will be 'The last booke of the Worthines of Wales,' and that his last work, which is to be styled his 'Ultimum Vale,' will consist of 'twelve long tales for Christmas, dedicated to twelve honorable lords,' but the promise was not fulfilled. The 'Challenge' contains an enlanped copy of 'Shore's Wife,' dedicated to 'Lady Mount Eagle and Compton.' From the dedicatory epistle we learn that some malicious persons had spread the report that this poem was not written by Churchyard. The libellous statement caused great annoyance to the old poet, who declared that if he had been a younger man he would have challenged his detractors to open combat. In 1594 appeared a revised edition of 'The Mirror and Manners of Men,' 4to (written in the days of Edward VI), with a dedication to Sir Robert Cecil. It was followed in 1595 by 'A Mvsicall Consort of Heauenly harmonie. . . called Chvrchyards Charitie, 4to. Appended to the chief poem is 'A Praise of Poetrie,' in which mention is made of Surrey, Spenser, Daniel, Barnes, and Sidney. In 'Colin Clout' Spenser had referred to Churchyard under the name of Old PalaBmon 'that sung so long untill quite hoarse he grew,' a passage to which Churchyard makes particular allusion in 'A Praise of Poetrie.' In 1590 Churchyard published three poetical tracts : 1. 'The Honor of the Lawe, 4to. 2. 'A Sad and Solemne Funerall of the Right Honorable Sir Francis Knowles, Knight,' 4to. 3. 'A pleasant Discourse of Court and Wars,' 4to, in which he again refers to Spenser's mention of him in 'Colin Clout.' 'A wished Reformation of wicked Rebellion,' 4to, which contains a spirited attack on the Jesuits, was published in 1598, and 'The Fortvnate Farewell to the most forward and noble Earlc of Essex,' 4to, in 1599. In 'The Fortvnate Farewell' Churchyard expresses his gratitude to the old Duke of Somerset for a favour rendered in the time of Edward VI,