As XENOPHON, who did imitate so excellently as to give us _effigiem justi imperii_, "the portraiture of a just empire" under the name of _CYRUS_, (as CICERO saith of him) made therein an absolute heroical poem; and as HELIODORUS wrote in prose, his sugared invention of that picture of love in _THEAGINES and CARICLEA_; and yet both excellent admired poets: so Sir PHILIP SIDNEY writ his immortal poem, _The Countess of PEMBROKE's "Arcadia"_ in prose; and yet our rarest poet. As SEXTOS PROPERTIUS said, _Nescio quid magis nascitur Iliade_: so I say of SPENSER's _Fairy Queen_; I know not what more excellent or exquisite poem may be written. As ACHILLES had the advantage of HECTOR, because it was his fortune to be extolled and renowned by the heavenly verse of HOMER: so SPENSER's _ELIZA, the Fairy Queen_, hath the advantage of all the Queens in the world, to be eternized by so divine a poet. As THEOCRITUS is famoused for his _Idyllia_ in Greek, and VIRGIL for his _Eclogues_ in Latin: so SPENSER their imitator in his _Shepherds Calendar_ is renowned for the like argument; and honoured for fine poetical invention, and most exquisite wit. As PARTHENIUS Nicaeus excellently sang the praises of _ARETE_: so DANIEL hath divinely sonnetted the matchless beauty of _DELIA_. As every one mourneth, when he heareth of the lamentable plangors [plaints] of [the] Thracian ORPHEUS for his dearest _EURYDICE_: so every one passionateth, when he readeth the afflicted death of DANIEL's distressed _ROSAMOND_. As LUCAN hath mournfully depainted the Civil Wars of POMPEY and CAESAR: so hath DANIEL, the Civil Wars of York and Lancaster; and DRAYTON, the Civil Wars of EDWARD II. and the Barons. As VIRGIL doth imitate CATULLUS in the like matter of _ARIADNE_, for his story of Queen _DIDO_: so MICHAEL DRAYTON doth imitate OVID in his _England's Heroical Epistles_. As SOPHOCLES was called a Bee for the sweetness of his tongue: so in CHARLES FITZ-GEFFRY's _DRAKE_, DRAYTON is termed "golden-mouthed," for the purity and preciousness of his style and phrase. As ACCIUS, MARCUS ATILIUS, and MILITHUS were called _Tragaediographi_; because they writ tragedies: so we may truly term MICHAEL DRAYTON, _Tragaediographus_: for his passionate penning [_the poem of_] the downfalls of valiant ROBERT of NORMANDY, chaste MATILDA, and great GAVESTON. As JOANNES HONTERUS, in Latin verse, wrote three books of Cosmography, with geographical tables; so MICHAEL DRAYTON is now in penning in English