THE ACCESSION OF HENRY VIII. TO THE PRESENT TIME. A New Edition, RE-ARRANGED, AND ENRICHED WITH SEVERAL ADDITIONAL LIVES, BY THE REV. FRANCIS WRANGHAM, M.A. F.R.S. OF TRINITY COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE. PRINTED FOR J. MAWMAN, LUDGATE STREET; AND FOR XXIII. Sir Francis Drake.(1545–1596) 122 XXIV. Sir John Hawkins.. (1520-1598) 138 THE BRITISH PLUTARCH. SIR PHILIP SIDNEY.* [1554-1586.] THIS gallant gentleman, of whom it has been justly said, that he approached more nearly to the idea of a perfect knight than any character of any age or nation,' was born Nov. 29, 1554, at Penshurst f * AUTHORITIES. Dr. Zouch's Memoirs of Sir Philip Sidney. + From Ben Johnson's description of this place we learn that, though not embellished with works of touch or marble, with polished pillars or a roof of gold, it had better proofs of it's excellency in the fertility of it's soil, the salubrity of it's air, and it's charming scenery of wood and water; • Thou hast thy walks for health as well as sport, The mount to which the Dryads do resort, Where Pan and Bacchus their high feasts have made That taller tree, which of a nut was set At His great birth, where all the Muses met.' (Forest, ii.) This oak, to which Waller also alludes, as -The sacred mark Of noble Sidney's birth VOL. II. B |