give no more than what is due, so I have cast no blemishes on the other; nor bestowed any more characters than what the truth of story must require if those that writ on the other side will use the same candor, there is no fear but that posterity may receive a full information concerning the unhappy distractions of these kingdoms.

The first book of this history begins with short characters of queen Elizabeth, king James, and the beginning of Charles I. to the year 1641; and the last ends with a narrative of the first battle of Newbury, 1841. The author afterwards made an abstract of this history, and continued it in Latin, to the death of Charles I.; which work he likewise translated into English.

He thus speaks of the causes which preceded and produced the civil war. The extract *commences at the dissolution of the parlia 'ment in the fourth year of Charles.

After the breaking off this parliament (as the historian speaketh of Roman liberty, after the battle of Philippi, nunquam post hoc prælium, &c. the people of England for many years never looked back to their

reader to a more full narration in the remonstrance; multitudes of monopolies were granted by the king, and laid upon all things of most common and necessary use, such as soap, salt, wine, leather, sea-coal, and many other of that kind.

CLAUD.

Regia privatis crescunt æraria damnis. "By loss of private men th' exchequer grows."

Large sums of money were exacted through the whole kingdom for default of knighthood, under the shadow of an obsolete law. Tonnage and poundage were received without the ordinary course of law; and though they were taken under pretence of guarding the seas, yet that great tax of ship-money was set on foot under the same colour; by both which there was charged upon the people some years near 700,000l. though the seas at that time were not well guarded.

These things were accompanied with an enlargement of forests, contrary to Magna Charta, the forcing of coat and conduct-money, taking away the arms of trained bands in divers counties, disarming the people by engrossing of gunpowder, keeping it in the Tower of London, and setting so high a rate upon it, that the poorer sort were not able to buy it; nor could any have it without licence; whereby several parts of the kingdom were left destitute of their necessary defence.

the world; and of whom I have always had a great esteem, as a man, who besides his eminent parts, learning, and knowledge, hath been always looked upon as a man of probity, and of a life free from scandal."

MAY.

THOMAS MAY, poet and historian, was descended of an ancient family at Mayfield, in Sussex, and born in 1595. Having received his juvenile education near home, he afterwards entered at Sidney College, Cambridge, where he proceeded batchelor of arts in 1612. About three years after, he became a member of Gray's Inn; and was soon introduced to the acquaintance of some of the principal courtiers and wits of his time-as sir Kenelm Digby, sir Richard Fanshaw, sir John Suckling, sir Aston Cokaine, Thomas Carew, Endymion Porter, Ben Jonson, and others of higher quality: for he was countenanced by Charles and his queen.

He subsequently conceived a disgust at the court, however, probably from a disappoint