John Beaumont

, Son of Francis Beaumont one of the Justices of the Common-Pleas in the reign of Qu. Elizabeth, was born of, and descended from, an ancient and noble family of his name living at Gracedie [•] in Leicestershire, became a Gent. Com. (with his Brethren Henry and Francis) in Broadgates hall in the beginning of Lent-term, an. 1596. aged 14. Whence, after he had spent about three years, he retired to one of the Inus of Court, and afterwards to his native Country, where taking to Wife one of the family of Fortescue, was at length (in 1626.) made a Baronet. The former part of his life he successfully employed in Poetry, and the latter he as happily bestowed on more serious and beneficial Studies: And had not death untimely cut him off in his middle age, he might have prov’d a Patriot, being accounted at the time of his death a person of great knowledge, gravity, and worth. He hath written,

Bosworth Field: A Poem. Lond. 1629. oct.

A taste of the variety of other Poems—Printed with. the former Poem. He hath also made translations into English from Horace, Virgil, Lucan, Persius, Aus [•] nius, Claudian, &c. All which were collected together, after the authors death by his Son, Sir Joh. Beaumont, Bt. and were printed with the former Poems in 1629. being then usherd into the world by the commendation-Poems of Tho. Nevill, Tho. Hawkyns, Benj. Johnson, Mich. Drayton, Philip King, Son of the B. of London, &c. This Sir John Beaumont the Poet departed this mortal life in the Winter time, 1628 in sixteen hundred twenty and eight, and was buried in the Church at Gracedieu, leaving behind him a Son named John beforemention’d, who died without issue, another called Francis, afterwards a Jesuit, and a third named Thomas, who succeeded his brother in his estate and honour. As for Francis Beaumont, who with his elder brother Sir John, came to Broadgates hall in 1596. as I have before told you, he must not be understood to be the same with Francis Beaumont the eminent Poet and Comedian, for tho he was of the same family, and most of his name studied in Oxon, yet he was educated in Cambridge, and after he had made himself famous over all England, for the 50. Comedies and Tragedies, which he with Joh. Fletcher Gent. had composed, made his last exit in the beginning of March, and was buried on the ninth of the same month in 1615, at the entrance of St. Benedicts Chappel within the Abby Church of St. Peter, within the City of Westminster. As for John Fletcher, Son of Rich, Fletcher B. of London, he was also a Cambridge man, and dying of the Plague, was buried in the Church (or yard) of S. Mary Overey in Southwark, 29 Aug. 1625. aged 49. Sir Aston Cockaine Baronet hath in his Choice Poems of several sorts, &c. Pr. 1658. in oct. an Epitaph on Mr. John Fletcher and Mr. Philip Massinger, who, as he saith, lye buried both in one grave, in St. Mary Overies Church in Southwark, yet the register of that Church saith that Massinger was buried in one of the four yards belonging to that Church, as I shall tell you when I come to him, under the year 1639. Later in time than Sir Jo. Beaumont, hath appeared another of both his names, who hath written and published Observations upon the Apology of Dr. Hen. More. Cambr. 1685. qu. And is at present the Kings prof. of Div. there.