Samuel Daniel

, the most noted Poet and Historian of his time, was born of a wealthy Family in Somersetshire, and at 17 years of age, in 1579. became a Commoner of Magd. hall, where he continued about three years, and improved himself much in Academical learning by the benefit of an excellent Tutor. But his Genie being more prone to easier and smoother studies, than in pecking and hewing at Logick, he left the University without the honour of a degree, and exercised it much in English History and Poetry, of which he then gave several ingenious Specimens. After his departure, I find nothing memorable of him for several years, only that at about 23 years of age he translated into English the worthy tract of Paulus Jovius, containing a Discourse of rare inventions both military and amorous called Imprese. Lond. 1585. oct. To which he hath put an ingenious Preface of his own writing. He was afterwards, for his merits, made Gentleman Extraordinary, and afterwards one of the Grooms, of the Privy Chamber to Anne the Queen Consort of King James 1. who being for the most part a favourer and encourager of his Muse, (as she was of Jo. Florio, who married Sam. Daniel’s Sister,) and many times delighted with his conversation, not only in private, but in publick, was, partly for those reasons, held in esteem, by the men of that age, for his excellencies in Poetry and History, and partly in this respect, that in (a)(a) Fuller in his Worthies in Somersetsh. writing the History of English affairs, whether in Prose or Poetry, he had the happiness to reconcile brevity with clearness, qualities of great distance in other authors. This is the opinion of a late author; but one (b)(b) The nameless author of Hypereritica: or a rule of judgment for writing or reading our Histories, MS. in my Library. Address. 4. Sect. 3. who lived in Samuel Daniel’s time tells us, that his works contain somewhat a flat, but yet withal a very pure and copious English, and words as warrantable as any mans, and fitter perhaps for Prose than Measure. Our author Daniel had also a good faculty in setting out a Mask or a Play, and was wanting in nothing that might render him acceptable to the great and ingenious men of his time, as to Sir Joh. Harrington the Poet, Camden the learned, Sir Rob. Cotton, Sir H. Spelman, Edm. Spencer, Ben. Johnson, John Stradling, little Owen the Epigrammatist, &c. He hath written,

The complaint of Rosamond. Lond. 1594. 98. 1611. and 23. qu.

Various Sonnets to Delia.—Wherein, as Parthenius Nicaeus did excellently sing the praises of Arete, so our author in this piece, hath divinely sonneted the matchless beauty of his Delia.

Tragedy of Cleopatra. Lond. 1594. 98. qu.

Of the Civil Wars between the Houses of Lancaster and York. Lond. 1604. 09. oct. and 1623. qu. Written in eight books in verse, with his picture before them.

The Vision of the twelve Goddesses, presented in a Mask, &c. Lond. 1604. oct. and 1623. qu. Some copies have it, The wisdom of the 12 Goddesses in a Mask at Hampton-Court 8. Jan.

Panegyrick congratulatory delivered to K. James at Burleigh-Harrington in Rutlandshire. Lond. 1604. and 23. qu.

Epistles to various great Personages in verse. Lond. 1601. and 23. qu.

Musophilus, containing a general defence of learning.— Printed with the former.

Tragedy of Philotas. Lond. 1611. &c. oct.

Hymens Triumph. A pastoral Trag. Com. presented at the Queens Court in the Strand, at her Maj. magnificent entertainment of the Kings Maj. being at the Nuptials of the Lord Roxborough. Lond. 1623. qu. second edit.

Muso, or a defence of Ryme. Lond. 1611. oct.

The Epistle of Octavia to M. Antonius. Lond. 1611. oct.

The first part of the History of England, in 3 books. Lond. 1613. qu. reaching to the end of King Stephen, in Prose. To which afterwards he added a second part, reaching to the end of K. Ed. 3.—Lond. 1618. 21. 23. and 1634. fol. continued to the end of K. Rich. 3. by Joh. Trussel, sometimes a Winchester Scholar, afterwards a Trader and Alderman of that City.—Lond. 1638. fol. &c. Which Trussel did continue in writing a certain old MS. belonging to the Bishops of Winton, containing, as it were, an History of the Bishops and Bishoprick, which continuation was made by him to Bishop Curles time. He also wrote, A description of the City of Winchester, with an historical relation of divers memorable occurrences touching the same. fol. Also a Preamble to the same Of the Origen of Cities in general. MS. Sam. Daniel also wrote,

The Queens Arcadia. A pastoral Trag-Com. presented to her Majesty and her Ladies, by the University of Oxon, in Christ Church, in Aug. an. 1605. Lond. 1623. qu.

Funeral Poem on the death of the Earl of Devon. Lond. 1623. qu. Towards the end of our authors life, he retired to a Country-Farm which he had at Beckington near to Philips-Norton in Sommersetshire, (at, or near to, which place he was born,) where, after he had injoyed the Muses and religious Contemplation for some time with very great delight, 1619 surrendred up his Soul to him that gave it, in sixteen hundred and nineteen, and was buried in the Church of Beckington before-mentioned. On the wall over his grave was this inscription afterwards put. Here lies expecting the second coming of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, the dead body of Samuel Daniel Esq that excellent Poet and Historian, who was Tutor to the Lady Anne Clifford in her youth, she that was Daughter and Heir to George Clifford Earl of Cumberland, who in gratitude to him, erected this monument in his memory, a long time after, when she was Countess Dowager of Pembroke, Dorset, and Montgomery. He died in Octob. an. 1619. By the way it must be noted that this Anne Countess of Pembroke was the same person who lived like a Princess, for many years after, in Westmorland, was a great lover and encourager of learning and learned men, hospitable, charitable to the poor, and of a most generous and publick temper. She died 22. Mar. 1675. aged 86. or thereabouts, and was buried under a splendid monument, which she in her life-time had erected, in the Church of Appleby in Westmorland. It must be also farther noted that there was one Sam. Daniel Master of Arts, who published a book intit. Archiepiscopal Priority instituted by Christ. Printed an. 1642. and another, if I am not mistaken, called, The Birth, Life, and Death of the Jewish Vnction. But whether he was of the University of Oxon, I cannot yet find.