Thomas Bastard

, a most ingenious and facetious person of his time, was born at a Market Town in Dorsetshire called Blandford, educated in Wykehams School, admitted perpetual Fellow of New coll. in 1588. and two years after Bach. of Arts. But this person being much guilty of the vices belonging to Poets, and given to libelling, he was in a manner forced to leave his Fellowship, in 1591. So that for the present being put to his shifts, he was not long after made Chaplain to Thomas Earl of Suffolk, Lord Treasurer of England, by whose favour and endeavours he became Vicar of Beer-Regis, and Rector of Amour or Hamer in his native Country, being then M. of A. He was a person endowed with many rare gifts, was an excellent Grecian, Latinist, and Poet, and in his elder years a quaint Preacher. His discourses were always pleasant and facete, which made his company desired by all ingenious men. He was a most excellent Epigrammatist, and being always ready to versifie upon any subject, did let nothing material escape his fancy, as his compositions running through several hands in MS. shew. One of which made upon his three Wives runs thus.

Terna mihi variis ducta est aetatibus uxor,

Haec juveni, illa viro, tertia n [•] pta seni.

Prima est propter opus teneris mihi juncta sub annis,

Altera propter opes, tertia propter opem.

The things that he hath written and published are many, but all that I have seen are only these.

Epigrams.—Which being very pleasant to the Reader, that noted Poet Sir Joh. Harrington of Kelston made one (*)(*) In his Witty Epigrams, in 4 books. Lond. 1618. lib. 2. Epig. 64. See also Epig 84 in lib. 2. or more Epigrams, dedicated to the author of them.

Pocma, intit. Magna Britannia. lib. 3. Lond. 1605. qu. Dedicated to K. Jam. 1.

Five Sermons. Lond. 1615. qu. The three first on Luke 1. 76. are called, The Marigold and the Sun. The two last on Luke 7. 37, 38. are intit. The Sinners Looking-glass.

Twelve Sermons. Lond. 1615. qu. The first on Ephes. 4. 26. is intit. A Christian exhortation to innocent anger. The second on Exod. 3. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. is, The calling of Moses, &c. This Poet and Preacher being towards his latter end crazed, and thereupon brought into debt, was at length committed to the Prison in Allhallows Parish in Dorchester, where dying very obscurely, and in a mean condition, was buried in the Church-yard belonging to that Parish, on 19. Apr. in sixteen hundred and eighteen, 1618 leaving behind him many memorials of his Wit and Drollery. In my collection of Libels or Lampoons, made by diver [•] Oxford Students in the Reign of Q. Elizabeth, I meet with two made by his author. One of which is intit. An admonition to the City of Oxford: or his Libel intit. Marprelates Basterdine. Wherein he reflects upon all persons of note in Oxon that were guilty of amorous exploits, or that mixed themselves with other Mens Wives, or with wanton Huswives in Oxon. Another also, was made after his expulsion, wherein he disclaimeth the aforesaid Libel, beginning thus: Jenkin why Man? Why Jenkin? fie for shame, &c. But the Reader must know that none of these were printed.