John Davies

, who writes himself of Hereford because he was born in that City, was, from the Grammar School there, sent to this University, but to what house of learning therein, I know not. After he had remained with us for some years, without the taking of a degree, he retired for a time to his native Country, having then, among Scholars, the character of a good Poet, as by those P [•] ems, which he then made, and were shortly after published, was manifested. Sir Joh. Davies, whom I shall mention under the year 1626. was more a Scholar, than a Lawyer; but this Joh. Davies was more a Poet than a Scholar, and somewhat enclined towards the Law; which hath made some unwary readers take the writings of one for the other. But our author, finding not a subsistance by Poetry, he set up for a writing-master, first in his own Country, and afterwards in London, where at length he was esteemed the greatest Master of his Pen that England in his age (d)(d) T [••] . Fuller in his Worthies, in He [•••] beheld, first for fast-writing, (2) fair writing, which looked as if it had been printed, (3) close writing, (4) various writing, as Secretary, Roman, Court and Text hand. In all which he was exceeded after his death, by one Gething his Countryman and Scholar. Sometimes he made pretty excursions into Poety and could flourish matter with his fancy, as well as letters with his pen, the titles of which do follow.

Mirum in modum. A glimpse of God’s glory and the Soules shape. Lo [•] i. 16 [•] 2. and 1616. oct. a Poem.

Microcosmus. The discovery of the little world, with t [•] e government thereof. Oxon 1603. qu. a Poem. Ushered into the world by the verses of Jo. Sanford of Madg. coll. [〈◊〉] Fitz-G [•] ffry of Broadgates and Rob. Burhill of C. C. c [•] ll. Which last wonders why Davies our author, who was la [•] e [•] y (as he saith) Oxoniae vates, should write himself of Hereford, as if Oxon was a disgrace to him.

The holy roode of Christs Cross, containing Christ crucified, described in speaking picture. Lond. 1609. qu.

Sonnets—printed with the former Poem, and both contained in 10 sheets.

S. Peters complaint, newly augmented with other Poems. Lond. in qu. But when printed it appears not. With this is commonly bound up S. Mary Madg. Blush, and therefore I sup [•] ose ’twas written by the same hand.

Humours heaven on earth, with the civil Wars of death and fortune, &c. London 1609. A Poem in (oct.)

The triumph of death, or the picture of the plague according to the life, as it was in an. 1603.—Printed with Humours heaven and earth, &c.

Wits pilgrimage (by poetical essayes) through a world of amorous Sonnets, soul-passions and other passages, divine, philosophical, and poetical. Lond. in a pretty thick qu. but not expressed when printed. ’Tis dedicated to Philp Earl of Mountgomery.

Muses sacrifice, or divine meditations. Lond. 1612. in tw.

The muses tears for the loss of their hope; heroick and never too much praised Henry Prince of Wales. Lond. 1613. qu.

Times sobs for his (Pr. Hen.) untimely loss, with Epitaphs—Printed with The Muses tears.

Consolatory strains to wrest nature from her vent in immoderate weeping—Printed with that also.

Ecclogues. Lond. 1614. oct. They are at the end of The Sheapards Pipe, written by Will. Brown of the Inner Temple.

A select second husband for Sir Tho. Overburies wise, now a matchless widdow. Lond. 1616. oct. Dedic. to Will. E. of Pembroke.

Elegies on the death of Sir Tho. Overbury.

Speculum Proditori.

Printed with the former book 1616. oct.

Several copies of verses of his, are also published in other books, as a large copy before Ph. Hollands translation of Camdens Britannia, another in the Odcombian banquet, &c. He dyed about the year sixteen hundred and eighteen and was buried, 1618 as one (e)(e) Ibid. in Th. Fuller. tells us, within the precincts of S. Giles ch. in the Feilds, near Lond. I find one Joh. Davies Gent. to have lived in the parish of S. Martin in the Feilds, who dying in the beginning of July (or thereabouts) in 1618. was buried near to the body of Mary, his sometimes wife, in the church of St. Dunstan in the West. Whether the same with the Poet I cannot justly tell, because may author here quoted (Tho. Fuller) saith, but upon what authority I know not, that he was buried at S. Giles in the Feilds. One John Dunbar a Latine Poet of Scotland, hath an (f)(f) In Epigrammat ib. edit. Lond. 1616. in oct. cent. 3. nu. 20. Epigram on J. Davies the Poet, which may serve for an Epitaph, wherein he tells us that he was another Martiall, and that he out-stript in Poetry Sam. Daniel, Josh. Silvester the Merchant adventurer &c.