As JOANNES HONTERUS, in Latin verse, wrote three books of Cosmography, with geographical tables; so MICHAEL DRAYTON is now in penning in English verse, a poem called Poly-olbion [which is] geographical and hydrographical of all the forests, woods, mountains, fountains, rivers, lakes, floods, baths [spas], and springs that be in England.

As AULUS PERSIUS FLACCUS is reported, among all writers to [have] been of an honest life and upright conversation:  so MICHAEL DRAYTON, quem toties honoris et amoris causa nomino, among scholars, soldiers, poets, and all sorts of people, is held for a man of virtuous disposition, honest conversation, and well governed carriage:  which is almost miraculous among good wits in these declining and corrupt times; when there is nothing but roguery in villainous man, and when cheating and craftiness are counted the cleanest wit and soundest wisdom.

As DECIUS AUSONIUS Gallus, in libris Fastorum, penned the occurrences of the world from the first creation of it to this time; that is, to the reign of the Emperor GRATIAN:  so WARNER, in his absolute Albion’s England, hath most admirably penned the history of his own country from NOAH to his time, that is, to the reign of Queen ELIZABETH.  I have heard him termed of the best wits of both our Universities, our English HOMER.

As EURIPIDES is the most sententious among the Greek poets:  so is WARNER among our English poets.

As the soul of EUPHORBUS was thought to live in PYTHAGORAS:  so the sweet witty soul of OVID lives in mellifluous and honey-tongued SHAKESPEARE.  Witness his VENUS and ADONIS; his LUCRECE; his sugared Sonnets, among his private friends; &c.

As PLAUTUS and SENECA are accounted the best for Comedy and Tragedy among the Latins:  so SHAKESPEARE among the English is the most excellent in both kinds for the stage.  For Comedy:  witness his Gentlemen of Verona; his [Comedy of] Errors; his Love’s Labour’s Lost; his Love’s Labour’s Won [? All’s Well that Ends Well] his Midsummer Night’s Dream; and his Merchant of Venice.

For Tragedy:  his RICHARD II., RICHARD III., HENRY IV., King JOHN, TITUS ANDRONICUS, and his ROMEO and JULIET.

As EPIUS STOLO said that the Muses would speak with PLAUTUS’s tongue, if they would speak Latin:  so I say that the Muses would speak with SHAKESPEARE’s fine filed phrase; if they would speak English.

As MUSAEUS, who wrote the love of HERO and LEANDER, had two excellent scholars, THAMYRAS and HERCULES; so hath he [MUSAEUS] in England, two excellent, poets, imitators of him in the same argument and subject, CHRISTOPHER MARLOW and GEORGE CHAPMAN.

As OVID saith of his work,

    Famque opus exegi, quod nec FOVIS ira, nec ignis,
    Nec poterit ferrum, nec edax abolere vetustas;

And as HORACE saith of his,