Richard Brathwayte

second son of Tho. Brath. of Warcop near Appleby in Westmorland, Son and heir of Thom. Brathw. of Barnside, son of Richard Br. of Ambleside in the Barony of Kendall, became a Commoner of Oriel Coll. an. 1604 aged 16, at which time he was matriculated as a Gentlemans son and a Native of the County of Northumberland. While he continued in that House, which was at least three years, he avoided as much as he could, the rough pathes of Logic and Philosophy and traced those smooth ones of Poetry and Roman History, in which at length he did excell. Afterwards, he removed to Cambridge, as it seems, where also he spent some time for the sake of dead and living authors, and then receeding to the north parts of England, his father bestowed on him Barnside before mention’d: where living many years, he became Captain of a Foot-Company in the Trained-bands, a Deputy-Lieutenant in the County of Westmorland, a Justice of peace and a noted wit and poet. He wrot and published several books in English, consisting of Prose and Poetry, highly commended in the age wherein published, but since slighted and despised as frivolous matters, and only to be taken into the hands of Novices. The titles of them are these.

Golden-Fleece, with other poems. Lond. 1611. oct.

The Poets willow: or, the passionate Shepheard: with sundry delightful and no less passionate sonnets, describing the passions of a discontented and perplexed Lover. Lond. 1614. oct. Written in Lyrick and Anacreontick measures.

Annotations upon some of the Sonnets before mention’d—These are printed at the end of The Poets Willow.

The Prodigall’s teares: or, his farewell to vanity: a treatise of Soveraigne cordialls, &c. Lond. 1614 oct.

The Schollers Medley: or, an intermixt discourse upon historical and poetical relations, &c.—Pr. 1614. qu.

Essayes upon the five senses. Lond. 1620. oct. there again. 1635. in tw.

Natures Embassie: or, the wild-mans measures: danced naked by 12 Satyres. Lond. 1621. oct.

Times curtaine drawne; divers poems. Lond. 1621. oct.

The English Gentleman containing sundry excellent rules or exquisite observations, tending to direction of every Gentleman, of selecter rank and quality, how to demean, or accommodate himself in the manage of publick or private affaires. Lond. 1630. and 33. qu. There again with enlargments, 1641. fol.

The English Gentlewoman containing, &c. Lond. 1631. 33. qu. There again with enlargments 1641. fol.

Discourse of detraction. Lond. 1635. in tw.

Chistian resolves and divine contemplations—Pr. with the Disc. of detract.

The Arcadian princess: or, the triumph of Justice Lond. 1635. oct.

Survey of History: or, a Nursery for Gentry: A discourse historical and poetical, &c. Lond. 1638. qu. Pr. again in 1652. qu. being then, I think, epitomized.

A spiritual spicery containing sundry sweet tractates of devotion and piety. Lond. 1638. in tw. With which was printed a translation of A christian diall; by which he is directed, how he is to dispose of his houres while he is living, &c. written by Joh. Justus Lanspergius a Carthusian, who died 1539.

Mercurius Britanicus: or, the English Intelligencer. Tra. Com.—Printed the second time, 1641. qu.

Times treasury or Academy, for the accomplishment of the Engl [•] sh Gentry in arguments of discourse, habit, fashion, behaviour, &c. all summed up in Characters of honour. Lond. 1655. 56. qu.

Congratulatory poem to his Majestie upon his happy arrivall in our late discomposed Albion. Lond 1660. in 2. sh. in qu.

Tragicemedia, cui titulum inscribitur Regicidium perspicacissimis judiciis accuratius perspecta, pensata, comprobata Lond. 1665. or thereabouts. What other things he hath written and published I know not, nor any thing else of him, only that in his latter days he removed upon an employment or rather a second Marlinge, to Appleton near Richmond in Yorkshire, where dying on the fourth day of May in sixteen hundred seventy and three,1673. was buried in the Parish Church of Catherick near that place; leaving them behind the character of a well bread Gentleman and a good Neighbour.