Next to Sir _Philip Sidney_, we shall add his great Friend and Associate, Sir _Fulk Grevil_, Lord _Brook_, one very eminent both for Arts and Arms; to which the _genius_ of that time did mightily invite active Spirits. This Noble Person, for the great love he bore to Sir _Philip Sidney_, wrote his Life. He wrote several other Works both in Prose and Verse, some of which were Dramatick, as his Tragedies of _Alaham_, _Mustapha_, and _Marcus Tallius Cicero_, and others, commonly of a Political Subject; amongst which, a Posthume Work, not publish'd till within a few years, being a two-fold Treatise, the first of Monarchy, the second of Religion, in all which is observable a close mysterious and sententious way of Writing, without much regard to Elegancy of Stile, or smoothness of Verse. Another Posthume Book is also fathered upon him; namely, _The Five Years of King_ James, _or the Condition of the State of_ England, _and the Relation it had to other Provinces_, Printed in the Year 1643. But of this last Work many people are doubtful.
Now for his Abilities in the Exercise of Arms, take this instance: At such time when the _French_ Ambassadours came over into _England_, to Negotiate a Marriage between the Duke of _Anjou_, and Queen _Elizabeth_, for their better entertainment, Solemn Justs were proclaimed, where the Earl of _Arundel, Frederick_ Lord _Windsor_, Sir _Philip Sidney_, and he, were chief Challengers against all comers; in which Challenge he behaved himself so gallantly, that he won the reputation of a most valiant Knight.
Thus you see, that though _Ease be the Nurse of Poesie_, the Muses are also Companions to _Mars_, as may be exemplified in the Lives of the Earl of _Surrey_, Sir _Philip Sidney_, and this Sir _Falk Grevil_.
I shall only add a word or two of his death, Which was as sad as lamentable. He kept a discontented servant, who conceiving his deserts, not soon or well enough rewarded, wounded him mortally; and then (to save the Law a labour) killed himself. Verifying therein the observation, _That there is none who never so much despiseth his own life, but yet is master of another mans_.
This ingenious Gentleman, (in whose person shined all true Vertue and high Nobility) as he was a great friend to learning himself, so was he a great favourer of learning in others, witness his liberality to Mr. _Speed_ the Chronologer, when finding his wide Soul was stuffed with too narrow an Occupation, gave it enlargement, as the said Author doth ingeniously confess in his description of _Warwickshire, Whose Merits_ (saith he) _to me-ward, I do acknowledge, in setting this hand free from the daily employments of a Manual Trade, and giving it full liberty thus to express the inclination of my mind, himself being the_ Procurer _of my present Estate_.