In 1642 he had the place of fuccentor in the church of Salisbury, conferred on him by bishop Duppa, and in 1643 was chofen junior proctor of the university; he was alfo metaphyfical reader, and it was generally faid, that those lectures were never performed better than by Mr. Cartwright, and his predeceffor Mr. Thomas Barlow of Queen's College, afterwards lord bishop of Lincoln §. This ingenious gentleman died of a malignant fever, called the Camp-disease, which then reigned in Oxford, and was fatal to many of his cotemporaries, in the 33d year of his age, 1643. His death was very much lamented by all ranks of men, and the King and Queen, then at Oxford, frequently enquired after him in the time of his ficknefs, and expreffed great concern for his death. Mr. Cartwright was as remarkable for the endowments of his perfon as of his mind; his body (as Langbaine expreffes it)" being as handfome as his foul. He was, fays he, an expert lin¬ "guift, understanding not only Greek and Latin, "but French and Italian, as perfectly as his mo"ther tongue; an excellent orator, and at the "fame time an admirable poet, a quality which "Cicero with all his pains could never attain." The editor of his works applies to him the faying of Aristotle concerning Efchron the poet, "that he could not tell what fchron could not " do," and Dr. Fell, bishop of Oxford, faid of him, Cartwright was the utmost a man can come to. Ben Johnfon likewife fo highly valued him, that he faid, "My fon Cartwright writes all like 46 a man." There are extant of this author's, four plays, befides other poems, all which were printed together in 1651, to which are prefixed above " * Athen. Oxon. col. 35. § Preface to his Poems in Svo. London, 1651. fifty fifty copies of commendatory verses by the most eminent wits of the university. Langbaine gives the following account of his plays; 1. Ordinary, a Comedy, when and where acted is uncertain. 2. Lady Errant, a Tragi-Comedy; there is no account when this play was acted, but it was esteem ed a good Comedy. 3. Royal Slave, a Tragi-comedy, prefented to the King and Queen, by the ftudents of Chrift Church in Oxford, Auguft 30, 1636; prefented fince before both their Majefties at Hampton Court by the King's fervants. As for the noble ftile of the play itfelf, and the ready addrefs, and graceful carriage of the ftudents (amongst which Dr. Bufby, the famous mafter of Westminster fchool, proved himself a fecond Rofcius) did exceed all things of that nature they had ever feen. The Queen, in particular, fo much admired it, that in November following, fhe fent for the habits and fcenes to Hampton Court, fhe being defirous to fee her own servants reprefent the fame play, whofe profeffion it was, that fhe might the better judge of the feveral performances, and to whom the preference was due: the fentence was univerfally given by all the fpectators in favour of the gown, though nothing was wanting on Mr. Cartwright's fide to inform the players as well as the fcho. lars, in what belonged to the action and delivery of each part.* 4. Siege, or Love's Convert, a Tragi Comedy, when acted is not known, but was dedicated by the author to King Charles I. by an epiftle in verse. Amongst his poems, there are feveral concerning the dramatic poets, and their writings, which must not be forgot; as thefe two copies * Wood, which he wrote on Mr. Thomas Killegrew's plays, the Prifoner, and Claracilla; two copies on Fletcher, and one in memory of Ben Johnson, which are so excellent, that the publisher of Mr. Cartwright's poems speaks of them with rapture in the preface, viz. ' what had Ben faid had he read his own Eternity, in that lafting elegy given him by ' our author.' Mr. Wood mentions fome other works of Cartwright's; ft. Poemata Græca et Latina. 2d. An Offspring of Mercy iffuing out of the Womb of Cruelty; a Paffion Sermon preached at Christ Church in Oxford, on Acts ii. 23. London, 8vo. 1652. d. On the Signal Days of the Month of November, in relation to the Crown and Royal Family; a Poem, London 1671, in a sheet, 4to. 4th. Poems and Verfes, containing Airs for feveral Voices, set by Mr. Henry Lawes. From a Comedy of Mr. Cartwright's called the Ordinary, I fhall quote the following Congratulatory Song on a Marriage, which is amorous, and fpirited. I. While early light springs from the skies, A brighter day doth thence appear, All o'er the bed Clear fhame-faced beams That spread in ftreams, And purple round the modest air. II. I will not tell what shrieks and cries, What What pretty oaths, then newly born, While froward the Most peevishly Did yielding fight, To keep o'er night, What she'd have proffer'd you e're morn. III. For, we know, maids do refuse From Mrs. Pris, No, pleafure's by extorting fed. may IV. her arms wax black and blue Only by hard encircling you: From her full lip Pleafures as new As morning dew, Like thofe foft tyes, your hearts combine. GEORGE GEORGE SANDY S, A Younger fon of Edwin, Archbishop of York, was born at Bishops Thorp in that county, and as a member of St. Mary's Hall, was matriculated in the univerfity in the beginning of December 1589; how long he remained at the univerfity Wood is not able to determine. In the year 1610 he began a long journey, and after he had travelled through feveral parts of Europe, he visited many cities, efpecially Conftantinople, and countries under the Turkish empire, as Greece, Egypt, and the Holy Land *. Afterwards he took a view of the remote parts of Italy, and the Iflands adjoining: Then he went to Rome; the antiquities of that place were fhewn him by Nicholas Fitzherbert, once an Oxford ftudent, and who had the honour of Mr. Sandys's acquaintance. Thence our author went to Venice, and from that returned to England, where digefting his notes, he published his travels. Sandys, who appears to have been a man of excellent parts, of a pious and generous difpofition, did not, like too many travellers, turn his attention upon the modes of drefs, and the fashions of the feveral courts which is but a poor acquifition; but he studied the genius, the tempers, the religion, and the governing principles of the people he vifited, as much as his time amongst them would permit. He returned in 1612, being improved, fays Wood, in several respects, by this his * Athen. Oxon. p. 46. vol. ii. ⚫ large |