MAY, THOMAS (1595-1650).—­Poet and historian, b. in Sussex, s. of Sir Thomas M., of Mayfield, went to Camb., and thence to Gray’s Inn, but discarded law for literature.  In 1622 he produced his first comedy, The Heir, and also a translation of Virgil’s Georgics.  Six years later, 1627, appeared his translation of Lucan, which gained him the favour of Charles I. at whose command he wrote two poems, The Reigne of King Henry II., and The Victorious Reigne of King Edward III., each in 7 books.  When the Civil War broke out M., to the disappointment of his friends, took the side of the Parliament, and was made Sec. to the Long Parliament, the historian of which he became, pub. 1647, The History of the Parliament of England, which began Nov. 3, 1640.  This work he prefaced with a short review of the preceding reigns from that of Elizabeth.  The narrative closes with the Battle of Newbury, 1643, and is characterised by fulness of information and candour.  M. was also the author of several tragedies, including Antigone, of no great merit.

MAY, SIR THOMAS ERSKINE, 1ST BARON FARNBOROUGH (1815-1886).—­Jurist and historian, ed. at Bedford School, and after holding various minor offices became in 1871 clerk to the House of Commons, retiring in 1886, when he was raised to the peerage.  He had previously, 1866, been made K.C.B.  He was the author of a treatise on the laws, privileges, etc., of Parliament, which, first pub. in 1844, reached in 1901 its tenth ed., and was translated into various languages.  His Constitutional History of England, 1760-1860 is practically a continuation of Hallam’s great work.  He also wrote Democracy in Europe.  As an historical writer M. was learned, painstaking, and impartial.

MAYNE, JASPER (1604-1672).—­Dramatist, was at Oxf., entered the Church, and became Archdeacon of Chichester.  He wrote two dramas, The City Match (1639), and The Amorous War (1648), in neither of which did he sustain the clerical character.  He had, however, some humour.

MAYNE, JOHN (1759-1836).—­Poet, was b. in Dumfries.  In 1780 he pub. the Siller Gun in its original form in Ruddiman’s Magazine.  It is a humorous poem descriptive of an ancient custom in Dumfries of shooting for the “Siller Gun.”  He was continually adding to it, until it grew to 5 cantos.  He also wrote a poem on Hallowe’en, and a version of the ballad, Helen of Kirkconnel.  His verses were admired by Scott.

MELVILLE, HERMAN (1819-1891).—­Novelist, b. in New York, and took to the sea, which led to strange adventures, including an imprisonment of some months in the hands of cannibals in the Marquesas Islands.  His first novel, Typee (1846), is based upon this experience. Omoo followed in 1847, Moby Dick, or the White Whale, a powerful sea story, in 1852, and Israel Potter in 1855.  He was a very unequal writer, but occasionally showed considerable power and originality.