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Lansdowne, George Granville, Lord..........................................................

Lovelace, Colonel Richard.........................

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Raleigh, Sir Walter..........

Randolph, Thomas.......................

Rochester, John Wilmot, Earl of......

Rochford, George Boleyn, Viscount

Say, Rev. Samuel....................

Sedley, Sir Charles..

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HENRY HOWARD, EARL OF SURREY.

1540.

Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey, descended from Edward I. son of Thomas, Duke of Norfolk, and deservedly celebrated as "the first polite writer of Love Verses in our language," was born in 1520. Early attached to Henry Fitzroy, Duke of Richmond, an illegitimate offspring of Henry VIII. he resided with him during his boyish years in the quality of a companion, at Windsor Castle; where he was habituated to the elegancies of the court, and where the charms of the Fair made no slight impression on a mind that was afterwards attuned to their praises. In 1536 he suffered an irreparable loss in the death of his friend Richmond. He had, six years before, entered with him at Wolsey's college; and, in 1532, had accompanied him on a visit to Francis I. at Paris. Richmond also was betrothed to the lady Mary Howard, sister to Surrey. These circumstances are recounted with exquisite tenderness in an elegy written by the Earl, while imprisoned in Windsor Castle, towards the close of his short but illustrious career.

The period at which SURREY commenced the tour of Europe is not ascertained; but he must at this time have been enamoured of his GERALDINE, since he contended for her beauty at Florence; where the Grand Duke of Tuscany permitted the challenge to be tried, at tournament; and where, on the spot from which the family of his mistress originally came, he had the gratification of maintaining her superiority, and of proudly asserting his title to her favour. He is reported to have been immeVOL. I.

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diately incited to this proceeding, by having seen, on his way to Florence, in a mirror of glass exhibited to him by the celebrated Agrippa, a representation of GERALDINE, who appeared reclining on a couch, much indisposed, and engaged in reading one of his most affecting sonnets, by the glimmering of a waxen taper. Beauty, however, is not always the reward of bravery. Whatever consolation he is supposed to have derived from the illusions of magic, she on whom SURREY has conferred immortality, seems to have denied him the only recompence to which he aspired-her smiles and her affection. According to Lord Orford, who has successfully pursued the scattered hints afforded by Drayton, GERaldine was the lady Elizabeth Fitzgerald, second daughter of Gerald Fitzgerald, Earl of Kildare; whose ancestors, descended from the Dukes of Tuscany, by Otho, settled in England during the reign of Alfred, and thence transplanted themselves to Ireland. She was second cousin to the princesses Mary and Elizabeth (afterwards successively Queens of England); bred up with them at Hunsdon house; and became the third wife of Edward Clinton, Earl of Lincoln.

His romantic attachment to GERALDINE, did not prevent SURREY from becoming the husband of Frances, daughter of John, Earl of Oxford, by whom he had several children.

It is painful to relate, that this distinguished nobleman, who had often loyally exerted himself in the defence of his country, was at last sacrificed to the jealousy of a monarch, in whose court he was perhaps the brightest ornament. He fell a victim to the suspicious tyranny of Henry VIII. Being arraigned at Guildhall, before a ury who were convened only to condemn him, he was soon found guilty, and in consequence beheaded on Tower-hill, January 19th, 1546-7.

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